Hydraulic distant control apparatus



Feb. 16 19.26. 1,573,354

N. E. METHLIN 7 HYDRAULIC DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1924 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 16 ,1926.

N. E. METHLIN HYDRAULIC DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1924 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 ihven/forc' 2!); yea mm m QXM'M. M/ M Q 1 M llll Feb. 16 1926.

N. E. METHLIN HYDRAULIC DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1924 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5.

Feb. 16 1926. I 1,573,354

N. E. METHLIN HYDRAULIC DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1924 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 16 1926.

1,573,354 N. E. METHLIN HYDRAULIC DISTANT CONTR OL APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1924 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 16 1926. 1,573,354

N. E. METHLIN HYDRAULIC DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1924 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 '7 W167 MM Feb. 16 1926. 1,573,354

N. E. METHLIN HYDRAULIC DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS Patented eb. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 7

NICOLAS EMILIEN METHLIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOB TO SCHNEIDER & CIE., OF PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE.

HYDRAULIC DISTANT Application filed July 8,

To all whom it may/concern: 1;

Be it known that I, Nlcotfas EMILIEN METHLIN, a citizen of the Republic of France, resident ofxParis, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in control, which problem may be enunciated 'as follows: The automatic control from a central station of a group of guns in such a manner that the said guns shall remain al ways parallel to one another in their common movements whilst allowing the gun servers placed next the guns, to move each of these guns separately for the purpose of making the necessary corrections (such as parallax, aiming, adjusting etc.) by following for this purpose the indications given by a control device which shows at every moment the deviation existing between the position occupied by the gun and the position the latter should occupy in order that the laying of the gun shall be absolutely accurate.

In the accompanying drawings the diagrammatic Figure 1 illustrates by way of example a constructional form of this invention for the particular case of the dis tant eontrol of the training of two guns.

Figure 2 illustrates a modification of th apparatus shown in Figure 1; and

li igure 3 illustrates a constructional detai Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating another embodiment of the arrangement shown in Figure 1.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are views illustrating other modifications of the invention which.

can be advantageously employed in certain particular cases.

In Figure 1:A is an accumulator into which a pump P delivers water, or, preferably oil, drawn from a sump R.

D is a distributing cylindrical slide valve con'rnor. APPARATUS.

1924. Serial No. 724,872. I

vlayer b means of a hand crank N fixed on thesaid rod.

M is a hydraulic motor, assumed to be of a rotary type, employed for .moving the sighting telescope at the central station.

M ,M are motors identically similar to" the motor M which are employed for producing the movements of the guns.

S S", S are three auxiliary motors identically similar to the motors M M M they are fed respectively in series with the motors M M M and are coupled mechanically together on' a common shaft C C are two small rotary pumps mounted ina by-pass connection with the motor M M they can be actuated by means of a non-reversible gear, by operating the hand cranks, T T

1 This improved apparatus operates as folows:

The common movements are controlled by the gun layer at the central station who actuates the hand-crank N of the distributor D. In these movements the parallelism between the sighting telescope at the central station and the guns is assured b the group of auxiliary motors S S S w iph constitutes a synchronizing regulating relay. It will be readily perceived that the mechanical coupling together of these three lastmentioned motors (which operate also as regulating relays because they reinforce au-v tomatically the pressure acting upon the most highly loaded motors) has the result of equalizing their deliveries, and that theirbeing mounted in series with the motor M M M assures the synchronization of these latter. I r v 7 It is to be noted that the operation of the synchronizers S S S does not entail practically any loss of power in the distantcontrol apparatus.

, In order to make the necessary corrections, for instance a correction for parallax, or for correcting the laying of the guns (for example after the gun has become deviatedas a result of the firing of the shot) the local gun server's actuate the handwheels T T, in accordance with the indications of the control devices which are not shown mg devices C in the diagram and which may consist for mstance of an electric transmission gear of a known type.

The compensating pumps C C may obviously be actuated by hand or by means of,

.be replaced by simple mechanical differentials interposed between the shafts of the motors M M and the devices to be controlled. This solution is however not so good owing to the plays that are practically unavoidable.

It is to be noted that the distributor D may be driven by the satellite wheels of a differential whose two pinions are actuated respectively by the gun-server who isoperatmg the telescope at the central station (known as the distant-control gun-layer) and by the motor M It is further to be noted that the distributor 'D, the accumulator A ahd the pump P may be replaced in the known manner by a combination comprising a constant-speed electric motor and a pump having a delivery variable in amount and direction. Finally it is to be noted that the auxiliary motor S may be dispensed with on the condition that the auxiliary motors S and S are coupled mechanically to the motor M In order to simplify the explanations, it is assumed that the motors M M M S S S, are identically similarybut this assumption is not absolutely necessary. It is obvious that in particular the motor M for instance may be replaced by a motor having an n-times smaller power-output per' revolution on condition that the ratio of the mechanical transmission interposed between the shaft of the motor M and; the sighting telescope is suitably modified, or on condition that the auxiliary motor S is replaced by a motor itself having; an n-times smaller power-output per revolution.

In order to allow of making-up any leakage losses, it is advisable in practice to employ as auxiliary motors S S S motors whose power-output per revolution can be regulated with precision according to requirement.

By installing, near one of the guns, a distributor whose pipes can be connected in parallel with those of the distributor D, a,

,central safety station will be provided which 'can be-used immediately on the occurrence of damage to the main station, this latter being then isolated by operating stop-cocks.

S S S maybe dispensed with. The installation is moresimple, but less general in its application,'beca'use it entails an increase in the pressure th'at is proportional to the number of receivers- The installation is further more "vulnerable, because it would be completely paralyzed in the case of damage happening to'lthe single line of piping,

whereas it is always an easy matter, inthe case of the installation shown in Figure l,

to isolate, byg iiaperating stop-cocks, the parti'cu'lar porti of-the installation that may have become-accidentally put out of service.

Figure 3 illustrates an apparatus which may be employed when the guns have not the same field of fire, for the purpose of pro ducing an automatic stoppage of the guns that have reached the limit of their field of fire, whilst leaving the other guns in service, as well asin order to allow of replacit ing in serviceguns that have been temporarily stopped,'immediately the target has become -.aga'in within their field of fire.

In Figure 3. M is-one of the motors-for driving the guns, 0 is the corresponding compensatingipump, and T is its operating hand crank, all as 'inFigure 1.

-Z isa-valve which normally is kept closed by the spring F, but which, when .open, al,-,

lows of establishing freecommunication be tween the pipes and H leading to the motor M The opening of this valve is effected automatically, when the gun arrives at the limits of its field of fire, by the action of cams which are carried along by the said gun in the movement of the latter, and which are designed to push upwards the roller I that ismounted on the rod J, secured to the valve Z. It will be immediately perceived that the opening ofthe valve Z produces a stoppage of the motor M without causing any disturbances in the working of the other motors. g

The replacing in service of the motor M, which is assumed to have been stopped automatically, is effected in thefollowing man-I Immediately the indications of the control device show the gun-server that the target has come back into the field of fire,

of the closing of the cocksK, L, comes underneath the hook V so as to hold the valve Ztemporarily' open., I

In order that the accidental blocking of -one of the guns shall not entail the stoppage of the working of all the other guns, it is 'sufiicient to provide, in parallel with the valve Z,'a second safety valve adapted to open in the reverse direction.

In Figure 4 wherein the letters A, P, R, D, N, M M M S S S X-Y have the same significance as in Figure l, S, S S

are three auxiliary motors identically similar to the motors S S S These motors are coupled togethermechanically on a common shaft X Y which may beindependent of, or be secured to the shaft X-Y. These motors ,are fed in series with the motors M M M and are interposed in the.

delivery pipe of thedistributor D which in the above described apparatus terminates directly at the motors M QM M 1' 1- 1- 1*, 1- 1' are shifting devices constituted in a known manner by valves submerged in oil, and they open on the occurrence of a drop in pressure in the pipes connecting the main motors M to the auxiliary D 1)? are two auxiliary distributors which can be operated by actuating the hand-cranks N N These distributors are fed either directly by the puinp P as shown in Figure 4, or by a special pump producing a pressure that is at least equal to but is, preferably greater than, the pressure produced by the pump P.

In comparison with Figure. 1, the appara- I tus of the present invention comprises the following improved features.

The introduction of a second synchronizing group designed to supply the symmetry that is absent in the main patent;

Replacing the compensating pumps C C by distributors; and

The fitting of. shifting devices on the pipes that connect the synchronizing motors with I the main motors.

' 2. In the case where one of the main mo tors may by way of exception, have toovercome a high resisting torque, the action of an excess pressure regulating relay is always amply assured by one or other of the two groups of synchronizing motors, whereas the apparatus described first hereinbefore assures this action only by suction up to the 4. The work of the gun servers is rendered much easier and therefore is greater precision.

5. All cavitation and all entry. of air are avoided.

Allv the modifications referredto in Figure-s 1 to 3, "may be combined with the apparatus illustrated in Figure 4. In par-- ticular it is to be noted that the distributor D, the accumulator A, and the pump P may be replaced by a constant-speed electric motor driving a pump having a delivery variable in amount and direction. It 'is further to be noted that the speed of this pump can be regulated from a distance by employing an auxiliar control device of know'n'type. It is also obvious that in this case the auxiliary distributors D D should be fed by a special pump. I I Referring to Figures 5 to 7 inclusive, each receiving motor is fed separatelyby a'mot or pump combination comprising a con stant speed electric motor acting upon a pump having .a delivery which is,--variable inamount and in direction, the electric motors being synchronized and the devices that regulate the delivery being movedsinrultaneously through equal amounts.

performed with It is to be noted that ifthe above conditions are realized each motor (M M M actuating a recelvmg device will rece ve, as

so provided with reference to Figures 1 to 3, the same volumeof liquid without there being any necessityto adopt the adjunction of any synchronizing group.

In order to reduce the lengths of the main sponds to it. The movement of the devices that regulate thedelivery' of each pump may be effected by any suitable transmission gear of mechanical, hydraulic or electric type, or again by a mixed transmission gan'for instance of an hydro-electric-type. I

It will be generally advisable to provide for the intervention of a central auxiliary motor which can act either directly or tors allotted to each of the pumps. The speed of the-actuating motors. (M Mt, M may depend either on the position of the controlling hand crank N of the central station (simple control), or upon the speed of actuation of the said hand crank (dependent control). The compensating pumps 0'' C may be arranged insuch a manner as no longer to act directly upon the actuating motors M, M but upon-a press driving the through the medium of local auxiliary modevice that regulates the delivery of the corresponding pumps, and this action may be exerted either directly, or, if required,

auxiliary drawings the diaustrates by way of example first the manner in which the apparatus specified in Figures 1 to 3 may be constructed in practice by utilizing an independent hydraulic central contro device,

acting upon the devices that regulate the delivery through the medium of a central hydraulic auxiliary motor. i,

The diagrammatic Figure 6 illustrates by way of a second example the manner in which the same apparatus may be c011 structed in practice by employing a'dependent central hydraulic control device acting upon the devices that regulate the delivery through the medium of a central auxiliary hydraulic motor.

The diagrammatic .Figure 7 illustrates by way of a-third example the manner in which the same apparatus may be constructed in practice by employing a central hydraulic control device acting upon the delivery regulating devices through the medium of a central auxiliary hydraulic motor controlling through an electric transmission of local hydraulic auxiliary mo tors.

In Figures to 7, M is a hydraulic motor,

' assumed to be ofthe rotary type, employed for moving the sighting telescope of the central station. I

M M are motors assumed to be identically similar to the motor M they-are employed for producing the movements of the guns.

P P P are three videntically similar pumps of variable delivery supplying re spectively each of. the motors M M M 29 ,19 p are three double-acting presses for producingthe movements of the devices,

- that regulate the delivery of each of the pumps P P P E E E are three identically similar synchronizing electric motors for driving each of the pumps P P Each of these motors may be constituted for instance by a, switch in such a manner as to allow of starting on direct current, then effecting synchronization by closing the interrupter or cut-out connected to the alternating current network.- I

tion. v V

In the example shown in Figure 5 the hand crank.N acts upon the pistons ofthe distributing slide valve D by means of the screw-threaded spindle H which screws into the pinion G meshing with a rack F secured to the device for regulating the delivery of the pump P. A spring K has a tendency to maintain the hand crank N in a determined position in relation to the pinion G. The

is the hand crahk at the central stacomplete opening and closing of the-disthe movements of the rack F have a constant tendency to close thedistributor, and consequently it will be perceived that by moving the hand crank N a proportional and simultaneous movement of the pistons of the presses 2 12 p is produced.

To each position of the hand crank N there will therefore correspond a determined speed of the motors M M M v since the motors E ,E E revolve synchronously.

It is to be noted that there is no relation of dependency between the position of the receiving devices driven by the motors M- M M and the position of the handcra'nk N, and that in order to bring the motors M M ,'M to rest, it is necessary to replace the handcrank N into a determined position in relation to the frame of the appav ratus.

may be situated at any desired 7 point of the ship.

Any desiredch'ange of the sighting stavtion can be effected very simply bv closing the cooks 'I and opening the cocks J which establish communication between the distributor'of one of the auxiliary sighting stations.

The operation of these cocks is also conjugated with the operation of the interrupters that produce the corresponding permutation in the electric transmitters that assure the distant-control. o abrupt movement or shock isto be feared in the course of the manoeuvre of changing the sighting station, because all the hand cranks N of the auxiliary stations which are not in service are automatically maintained in concordance with one another by springs K, and the pokl sition which these hand cranks must occupy in order to bring the motors M M M to rest remains always the same.

It is to be noted'that the rack F may be actuated by an auxiliary press mounted in series with the presses p and p' It will also be noted that each of the presses 19, 2 32 receives the same volume of the case hereinbefore described.

liquid as is The presses p 72*, may also recelve complementary movements by the operation of the compensating pumps C C which are actuated by gun servers by means of hand cranks T T as hereinbefore described.

Relatively to those that are described in foregoing-example, comprising a distributor utor D.

to the ends of the presses 12 p 112 driven respectively by the motors M M D, amain hydraulic motor C a repeating hydraulic motor C mounted (as in the arrangement shown inFigure'Q) in series with the motor 0, a pinion F. mounted on the shaft of the motor C", a pinion G meshing with 'the pinion F, and a screwthreaded spindle H adapted to screw into the-pinion G and driving the pistons of the distrib- The connections are made such that the pinion F will move the pinion Gin the same direction as the hand crank N is being rotated, so that it will be immediately perceived that by rotating the hand :crank N at a predetermined speed the motors O and C" will be caused to rotate at aproporl tional speed.

The motor 0' drives three pumps p" 19",, p", which are connected respectively The ends of these presses are connected further to three pumps p"',, p',, p",-, that are M and the connections are made such that the action of the pumps 17 2 m P s opposes the action of the pumps 12 7)",,

a relation of dependency is obviously established by a hydraulic diflerential which assuresproportionality between the speed of the hand crank N and the speed of the motorsM ME M It is to be noted that the substitution of the hydraulic.difl'erential for the mechgptical diflerentials generally employed for ablishing relations of -dependency provides a solution of the problem of doing away with all play and all wear in the transmissions.

The auxiliary pumps C C actuated by the hand cranks T T" operate in the same manner as inthe example shown in Figure 5. Y P f Any desired change of the sighting station is efiected as before by closing the cocks I and opening'the cocks J.

It is to be noted that the pump C may be dispensed with if the motor 1W be used for rotating the pinion F.

In the example shown in Figure 7, the control of the motor C by the hand crank N is'efiected in exactlythe same manner as in the arrangement shown in Figure 6, The hydraulic motor C controls three electrical transmitters t t t which may be of any known type and which drive three electrical receivers 7' 1- 1:

'The receivers 7' 1' act upon the devices fiy the arrangement shown in the figure,

any knownrtype comprising the presses- ;0 p p the distributors d d (Z and the jointedrods actuated by the receivers r r T The action of the receivers is trans mitted to these rods by means of grooved and keyed sleeves m m m which are adapted to slide on longitudinal extensions of three vscrewthreaded spindles 0 ,12)", '0 screwing into the pinions g g.

The relation of depen ency for assuring proportionality speed ofthe hand crank N and the speed of the motors M M M is established by causing the pinions g g, g to be driven by the pinions 9' (1' 9' mounted on th shafts of the motors M M, M". The com sating pumps C C have been replaced by differentials G' -C' -Each local auxiliary hydraulic motor is fed by a small pump u 20 u; and during the stoppages theliquid is returned by a discharge Valve s 8 8 into tanks 3 M, y. This solution has the advantage of enabling allthe piping employed in the ar' rangement shown in Figures 5 and 6, for

connecting the receiving stations to the stations of the central auxiliary motor, to be replaced by electric leads.

' As a modification, it may be noted that the distributor D may be replaced by a small motor pump set comprising a constant speed electric motor and a pump of variable delivery the regulating device for which would be controlled like the pistons of. the distrib j utor D. a It will be perceived that in Figures 5 and 6 the combination M P 1 may be dispensed with, and the sighting telescope with the indicatio'nsof the control devices;

but these corrections might be made equally well by measuring them as a function of the angular difl'erence of positions of the hand crank N in relation to the pinion G, and interpolating them by means of a camfacting through a differential upon the laying of the sighting telescope; 7

Finally, it will be perceived that in the case'illustratedin Figure 6, the pumps P P P the electric motors E E E and the pumps 49 p p. may be dispensed with, and that the pumps 12",, 12",, 12'', may be, connected'directly to the motors M; M,

M But the simplification which this last modification would appear to eflect, is only power of the pumps 12",, p p", of the 1 motor C and also 1n the power of the pump feeding the latter. 1

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the'said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is z.

1. Apparatus for controlling one or more guns from a central station provided with a sighting telescope comprising, in combination, hydraulic means for moving said telescope, hydraulic means operatively connected to each gun to be controlled for moving the latter, means for transmitting equal volumes of liquid to each of said hydraulic e means, andcompensating means operatively connected to said second named hydraulic means for imparting complementary vdisplacements to the latter.

2. Apparatus for controlling one or more guns from a central station comprising, in combination, central station hydraulic means, hydraulic means operatively connected to each gun to be controlled, means for transmitting equal volumes of liquid in the same time interval to each of said hydraulic means, and compensating means positioned adjacent each gun and operatively connected to said'second named hy,- draulic means for imparting complementary displacements to said second named hydraulic means.

3. Apparatus for controlling one or more guns from a central station comprising a central station hydraulic motor, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to each gun to be controlled for imparting movement to the latter, means for transmitting equal volumes. of liquid to each of said hydraulic motors,

and compensating means operatively connected to the gun hydraulic motors for' imparting complementary displacements to said last named motors.

4. Apparatus for controlling one or more guns from a central station provided with a sighting telescope comprising, in combination, a hydraulic motor for moving said telescope, a hydraulic motor operatively connect'ed to each gun to be controlled, means for transmitting equal volumes of liquid to each of said hydraulic motors, manually operable means for controlling the operation ofsaid-last named means, and compensating means operatively connected to each of said gun motors for imparting complementary displacements to the latter. 4

5. Apparatus for controlling one or more. guns from a central station provided with sighting means comprising, in combination, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to the sighting means for moving the latter, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to each gun for moving the latter, means including a distributor for transmitting equal volumes of liquidto each of said motors, manual means for actuating said distributor, and compensatin means positioned adjacent each gun and operatively connected to the gun motors for imparting complementary displacements to'said last named motors.

6. Apparatus for controlling one or more guns located at a distance from a central station provided with sighting means comprising, in combination, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to said sighting means for moving the same, a pump operatively connected to said motor, means for driving said pump, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to each gun to be controlled, a.

pump for each of said gun motors, means for driving said last named pumps, means including a distributor for controlling the supply of each of said pumps to each of said motors, whereby equal volumes of liquid are supplied to each motor, and compensating means operatively connected to each of the gun motors for imparting complementary displacements thereto.

7 Apparatus for controlling one or more guns located at a distance from a central station provided with sighting means comprising, in combination, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to said sighting means, means for actuating said motor, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to each gun to be controlled,.means for actuating said gun motors, means includin a manually operable control member, a distributor and power transmitting means for controlling the volumes of liquid delivered to said motors, said volumes being equal, compensating means operatively connected to each of said gun motors for imparting complementary displacements tothe latter, and manually operable means for controlling said COIIIPBII'.

sating means.

8. A distant control apparatus of the type wherein one or more guns are controlled cm a central station provided with sighting means, and wherein order transmitting means are provided adjacent each gun for indicating the position of the gun relative to the position it should occupy, compris-' ing a hydraulic motor operatively connected to the sighting means, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to each gun to be controlled, means fortransmitting equal volumes of liquid to each of said motors, manually operable means positioned at the central station for controlling said last named means, and compensating means operatively connected to the gun motors for imparting complementary displacements to the lat- I ter.

9. Apparatus for controlling one or more guns from. a central station compr1s1ng,1n comblnation, central station hydraul c means including a motor, a hydraulic motor operatively connected to each of the guns to be controlled, a pump for delivering liquid to each of said motors, means for actuating said pumps, means for controlling the volume of liquid delivered by each of said pumps to each motor, said last named means including a manually operable member positioned at the control station, a distributor actuated by said control member and motion transmitting means operatively connected to said distributor, and compensating means operatirely connected to the control motor for each gun whereby complementary displacements may be imparted to the latter.

10. A distant control apparatus for one or more guns comprisin in combination, a central station hydraulic motor, a hydraulie motor operatively connected to each of said guns, pumps for delivering liquid to each of said motors, means for actuating each of said pumps, means for controlling the volume of liquid delivered by each pump to each motor, said last named means including a manually operable member, means for maintaining said member in a predetermined position, distributor means operatively connected to said member and power transmitting means operatively connected to said distributor and each of said pumps, and means operatirely connected to the motor for each gun for imparting complementary displacements to the latter.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

NICOLAS EMILIEN METHLIN. 

